Improvement in machines for cleaning coffee



0. PIN K. I Machine f0 1" Cleaning Coffee, &e. No. 214,765.

Patented April 29, 1879.

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' V INVENTUFI/ ATTEST.

UNITED SITATESPATENT OFFICE.

CONRAD FI NK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING COFFEE,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,765, dated April 29, 1879 application filed December 27, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD FINK, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cleaning Ooflee,Beans, &c.,of which the following is ,a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the invention, and Fig. 2 a side elevation.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The invention may be described generally as follows: In suitable bearings are arranged two drums which carry an endless apron, on

which the material to be cleaned is deposited in a thin layer from a hopper arranged above the apron, and adjacent to one end of the same. Said hopper is vertically adjustable to and from the apron, so as to regulate the thickness of the layer of material that is deposited on the apron, which will vary according to the material operated on, and the hopper will be supplied from a floor above, or-

from a raisedplatform, or by any other suitable means.

Beneath the upper portion of the endless apron is placed a stationary table tosupport said portion of the apron and hold it in the proper position.

Above the apron is arranged a swinging trough, which the operator moves along over the layer of material on the apron, and in which he places the impurities as fast as he removes them from the layer .of material on the apron, and said trough can be hung from the ceiling of the room or from a standard extending up the proper height from the floor.

In using the machine, the belt will be moved by hand until the material is deposited in a thin layer on the apron from the end of the hopper to the end of the supporting-table. The operator then commences at the end next to the hopper, and picks out the foreign matter and places it in the swinging trough, and continues the assorting to the end of the table, swinging the trough along with him as he proscrewrods F.

gresses until the end of the table is reached, when the foreign matter in the trough can be deposited in a suitable receptacle. A fresh layer is then again spread on the apron by moving the carrying-drums, when the assorting process can be again renewed.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the bed of the machine, having journal-bearings B at each end, in which turn the journal-pins of the apron-drums 0 G which carry the endless band or apron D. One of the band-drums, O, is provided with a hand-wheel, 0, by which the drums are turned and the apron D moved along over a supporting-table, E, which table has side flanges e to prevent the material from falling off sidewise from the apron D.

Adjacent to the drum O and over the belt or apron D, is arranged a feeding-hopper, F, which supplies the material to be cleaned in a thin layer onto the apron D,"and it is vertically adjustable to and from the apron, so as to regulate the thickness of the layer of material by means of the adjusting-nuts f, placed on each side of a bracket, f, secured to the hopper, and turning on the vertical supporting This hopper is supplied with the material in any suitable manner either by a spout from a floor above or from a raised platform.

G is a swinging trough arranged above the apron D, and supported by cords g, which are secured to a ceiling of the room in which the machine is placed. 7

In using the machine the belt will be moved along the length of the table E by the operator, by means of the hand-wheel (l and drums 0 O and as the apron moves along under the hopper a thin layer of the material in the hopper will be deposited on its surface. The operator then commences at the end of apron next to the hopper to pick out the foreign matter and place it in the trough G, and as he picks along the apron he moves the trough along withhim until the end of the layer is reached, when he can empty the trough into a suitable receptacle, and allow it to return back to its position near the hopper. The apron is then bracket-standard, G, or to the moved another length of the table, and the 2. The combination and arrangement of the picking or assorting process renewed. swinging trough G, the apron D, table E One of the bearings, O, is made adjustable, drums G 0 operating hand-Wheel O and hopso as to take up any slack in the apron D. per F, as and for the purpose set forth.

I claim- CONRAD FINK. 1. The combination of a carrier or apron, Witnesses:

movable under a feedin g-hopper, with a swing- ROBERT BURNS,

ing trough, G, for the purpose set forth. CHARLES PICKLES. 

